Six-Degree-of-Freedom Tibiofemoral and Patellofemoral Joint Motion During Activities of Daily Living

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to measure the three-dimensional movements of the femur, tibia and patella in healthy young people during activities of daily living. A mobile biplane X-ray imaging system was used to obtain simultaneous measurements of six-degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) tibiofemoral and patellofemoral kinematics and femoral condylar motion in ten participants during standing, level walking, downhill walking, stair ascent, stair descent and open-chain (non-weightbearing) knee flexion. Seven of the eleven secondary motions at the knee-three translations at the tibiofemoral joint, three translations at the patellofemoral joint, and patellar flexion-were coupled to the tibiofemoral flex..